However, pirates from the area say Hizbul Islam had demanded a cut of the pirates multi-million dollar business – hijacking ships for ransom.

[...]

Hizbul Islam and the insurgent group al-Shabab have been fighting the fragile Somali government for three years. The groups control large parts of southern and central Somalia and portions of the capital, Mogadishu.

Both have moved to enforce a harsh form of sharia, or Islamic law, in the areas under their control.

The groups were once allies but fell out last year in a dispute over another port town, Kismayo.